CONCORD, N.C. -- Chase Elliott was close to winning his first Clash race Tuesday night, but he fell a little short as he was pushing for the lead on the final lap.
The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion placed second under the lights at the DAYTONA Road Course after starting from the rear, marking his best Clash finish in his Cup career.
William Byron followed with a fifth-place finish, which also marks his best result in the exhibition race. Alex Bowman crossed the finish line in seventh place after rallying from a pit road speeding penalty.
Kyle Busch won the event.
Take a look below to see how the Clash shook out for the Hendrick Motorsports drivers.
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 LLUMAR FILMS CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE
FINISHED: 2nd
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Elliott started from the rear after drawing seventh due to inspection issues. He was up to 15th by the third lap and edged to 14th five laps later.
- During the first yellow flag on the ninth lap, Elliott came down pit road. He returned to the track in 12th and quickly worked his way to eighth by Lap 12.
- Elliott was in sixth one circuit later and the reigning Cup Series champion broke into the top five by Lap 14. He decided to pit a little early before the competition caution fell and returned to the track in 14th.
- The 25-year-old driver was in 13th by Lap 20 but dropped to 14th when another caution fell on Lap 22. He restarted 12th with 12 laps to go.
- Elliott jumped to sixth with 11 laps left in the race and broke into the top five two laps later. A fourth caution dropped with seven laps left, allowing Elliott to move to third place. He opted to stay out during the caution, allowing him to restart in first place.
- Elliott kept that position until Lap 33 when he was passed and dropped to second. He made a hard run for first, managed to nose past the leading car. However, Elliott was unable to accelerate fast enough to keep the lead. He finished the road course in second place.
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE
FINISHED: 5th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Byron rolled off the grid fifth and edged to fourth by the fourth lap. He fell back to fifth three laps later and opted to remain on the track when a caution fell nine laps in.
- Byron restarted in fourth but slipped back to 10th by Lap 12. The driver of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet was riding in 10th when the competition caution came out three laps.
- The 23-year-old driver was 13th when the race was under green again. He was passed by teammate Chase Elliott less than a lap later and fell to 14th. He edged up to 12th for the third caution on Lap 22.
- Byron had to pit again under yellow due to a flat rear tire and he restarted 20th. He jumped to 16th with 10 laps left and worked his way through the field. Byron surged to 11th when the fourth caution fell on Lap 23.
- After pitting for tires, fuel and adjustments, Byron came back out in 12th place with six laps to go. He broke into the top 10 less than two laps later and was in sixth with two laps left.
- Byron jumped up one more spot to fifth when the checkered flag waved for his best Clash finish.
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE
FINISHED: 7th
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Bowman started on the front row in second place. The Ally driver fell to fourth within the first lap but crept into third place three laps later.
- Crew chief Greg Ives made the call for Bowman to stay on the track during the first caution. He restarted in second but slipped to fourth a lap later.
- Bowman was riding in seventh when he pitted on Lap 15 and came back on the track in 16th place. However, he was hit with a speeding penalty on pit road.
- When the caution dropped on the 16th lap Bowman was 13th. He started from the back at the restart and was 19th by the 19th lap and jumped to 16th by Lap 20. Bowman crept to 13th before the third yellow flag was waved.
- With 12 laps left, Bowman restarted 13th. He chipped away inside the top 10, riding in ninth by Lap 20 and moving to seventh one lap later.
- The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE capitalized on the fourth caution and moved into fifth place with seven laps left. He pitted and returned to the track in eighth place.
- Bowman quickly moved to sixth place but was tapped by another car and hit the wall coming out of a turn. He kept going but eventually lost a spot, finishing the race in seventh place.